Page 11 of Brighter Than Gold

The old man dropped to his knees crying as Lazio sauntered by him. He returned to his seat and Aurelia obediently sat down on his lap, an expression of disbelief and horror etched onto her face.

Lazio pulled her in close so that her head rested on his shoulder. “Don’t worry my darling,” he said stroking her hair. “I’m sure he still loves you, just not as much as your brothers.” He parted her legs with his hand, terrified she complied.

“That’s it, love,” he whispered.

The whole room turned their faces away in horror as he hiked up her dress, past her ankles and over her knees. She began to squeeze her thighs together in a desperate bid to stop him, as his hand rose higher still.

“Shh, I told you I would be gentle. Just relax.”

Aurelia swallowed a cry, shakily allowing his hand to travel higher.

Reyah tucked her head against my chest to escape the savagery unfolding beside us.

“There, doesn’t that feel nice, darling?” Lazio asked her. She simply sobbed.

A sharp cry escaped the girl, and she jerked forward.

“Don’t look up,” I whisper to Reyah as I squeezed her hand tighter.

The young girl sobbed and cried out in pain as Lazio drove his fingers deep inside her, so concentrated on her, like he was deriving his pleasure directly from her pain. He twisted and angled his hand, watching the tormented expressions that crossed Aurelia’s face with each movement. I could barely hear past the hammering sound of my pulse in my ears. I wanted to tear this monster limb from limb.

Aurelia took a final sharp breath as Lazio pulled his hand from beneath her dress. He smiled, looking at the blood smeared across his fingers and palm. He placed a fingertip in his mouth and tasted it, his eyes rolling back with pleasure.

“Oh darling, you’ve earned that ruby,” he said lustfully.

Lazio grabbed her hand and pressed it onto his hardened cock. “Look what you’ve done to me, sweet girl. Let’s go upstairs, Aurelia. I want to show you more.”

Lazio helped her up and took her by the hand. He passed her father, and stopped. He grabbed the sobbing man by the face, grabbed him with his bloodied hand and forced his head to look up.

“Never thought you wouldaskme to take her, did you?” he said, giving a sick chuckle before releasing him.

I watched as Lazio led the girl towards the stairs to the bedrooms on the upper level, but a pang of tension shot through me when he stopped.

“Well hello, pretty girl,” he said, his gaze slicing into Briar. The handmaid kept her eyes forward and ignored him. I stood slowly, pulling Reyah behind me as I edged towards them.

“Gods, how did I missyou?” he asked, stroking his fingers along her shoulder. “I think I should like to have you both. Come on, upstairs,” he said, patting her arm as if he expected her to just willingly follow.

“Lazio, don’t,” I said through gritted teeth.

“Why ever not? You only bartered forherintegrity,” he said motioning to Reyah. He leaned down to Briar. “Stand up,” he ordered. The girl was frozen in her chair.

“STAND UP!” he screamed.

Briar jumped up out of her seat and Lazio kicked out the chair from between them. He bent the girl over the table and held her against it with his hand on her neck.

“Don’t touch her, Lazio!”

“Or what, my new little pet?” he asked venomously.

With that, I felt the cold, sharp steel of a sword at my throat and I stilled. Lazio held my stare as he hiked the dress up Briar’s backside. She trembled and wept as he did.

Reyah cried, tucking herself against me. I wrapped my arms around her, shielding her from the violence.

“DO NOT TURN AWAY FROM ME! YOU MADE YOUR CHOICE!” Lazio screamed at me as I tried to pull Reyah away.

“Please, Lazio, let me make another bargain for the girl,” I said desperately.

“You don’t have anything else I want,” he said as he pulled himself out of his trousers. “Now stop talking and let me enjoy her.”

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